The Golden State Warriors set a then–NBA record with 25 steals in a 139-122 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on March 25, 1975, at the Oakland Coliseum.
Entering the game, Golden State carried a 45-31 record and a three-game winning streak, while Los Angeles stood at 28-46 in a disappointing season. The opening quarter remained close, with the Warriors holding a one-point edge. The hosts broke the contest open in the second period, pouring in 40 points to lead by 11 at halftime. They added 37 more in the third and pushed the margin to as many as 19 in the fourth before closing out the win.
Golden State’s defensive pressure produced the historic 25 steals, a mark the franchise matched on Feb. 15, 1989, against the San Antonio Spurs. Both performances were later eclipsed when the Seattle SuperSonics collected 27 steals versus the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 15, 1997.
Rick Barry powered the Warriors with 40 points, six assists and a team-best eight steals in 33 minutes. Jamaal Wilkes added 21 points, and Phil Smith scored 20. Bench contributors Derrek Dickey and Charles Johnson chipped in 16 and 10 points, respectively.
Cazzie Russell led the Lakers with 26 points on 12-for-18 shooting. Stu Lantz recorded 21 points, and Brian Winters finished with 20.
Source: Lakers Nation
